The present invention relates to a structure for mounting electronic components on an outboard motor.
In many outboard motors having four-cycle engines, intake devices such as carburetors are disposed on one side of the engine, and exhaust manifolds (exhaust collecting tubes) are disposed on the other side of the engine. An electronic components box containing electronic components that do not radiate heat, such as fuses and relays, is disposed on the same side of the engine as the exhaust manifold. An example of this type of arrangement is found in the outboard motor disclosed in Japanese laid-open patent publication number 3-32998.
The intake device takes up a large amount of space on one side of the engine. The electronic components box is disposed opposite from the intake device to prevent the intake device and the electronic component holder from interfering with each other. Also, a large amount of space is available on the side surface of the engine away from the intake device. Thus, placing the electronic components box there provides a balanced layout of parts overall.
Electronic components that radiate heat, such as regulators, must be mounted in a location outside the electronic components box where they are inaccessible to the user. For this reason, electronic components that radiate heat, such as regulators, have been conventionally mounted below a starter motor disposed below the front surface of the engine.
However, in outboard motors equipped with fuel injection intake devices, the intake device, which is large, extends around from a side surface of the engine toward the front surface. Thus, in such cases, heat-discharging electronic components cannot be mounted below the starter motor at the front of the engine. Even if it were possible to mount the parts there, the parts would have to be positioned below the engine, making them difficult to remove and exposing them to moisture.
Conventionally, a dedicated space on a side surface of the engine or the like was specially partitioned solely to mount electronic components that radiate heat. Since the user should not be able to touch the heat-discharging electronic components, protective measures are also required. This makes laying out the parts for the outboard motor difficult, and increases the number of required parts and steps involved in assembly.